Iraqi leader says he will continue fight against ISIS even in Syria

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said that the fight against ISIS will continue even from within Syrian territory.

Abadi revealed in a statement on Tuesday that joint efforts against ISIS with neighboring countries will continue to protect Iraq’s borders.

The prime minister also warned various forces against harming federal forces or citizens in Kurdistan, Kirkuk and disputed areas. If “disobeyed,” consequences will be harsh no matter the offender, he added.

Brigadier General Andrew Croft of the US-led coalition against ISIS contradicted Abadi on Tuesday claiming that Iraqi operations forces fighting against the terrorist group will not reach Syrian territory.

Iraqi militias are already operating in Syrian territory fighting against ISIS under the command of Iran and the supervision of Damascus.

Paul Antonopoulos is a Research Fellow at the Center for Syncretic Studies. He has an MA in International Relations and is interested in Great Power Rivalry as well as the International Relations and Political Economy of the Middle East and Latin America.